Mold for food patties



Oct. 17, 1961 I H. J. VANSTROM 3,004,283

MOLD FOR FOOD PATTIES Filed March 31, 1959 A ORNEYS.

the ring-forming member 10.

United States Patent Filed Mar. 31, 1959, Ser. No. 893,192 4 Claims.(Cl. 17-32) This invention relates to devices used in molding meatpatties and the like, these devices being generally referred to ashamburger rings. More particularly, the present invention relates to ahamburger ring which is readily adjustable for forming patties ofvarious diameters.

Numerous hamburger rings or molds have been proposed in the prior artbut these devices have generally been so constructed that they areadapted to produce patties of one given size. It is highly desirable topro duce patties of different sizes for different purposes or occasionsand for domestic use it is not feasible to provide numerous rings forsuch various purposes.

The present invention provides an extremely simple and efi'ectivehamburger ring structure which is readily adjustable to provide a ringportion of any size within certain predetermined limits. According tothe novel construction of the present invention it is merely necessaryto rotate the handle member of the device relative to the ring portionthereof to release the ring portion for adjusting movement and tosubsequently secure the same in a desired position of adjustment.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a general elevational view of one form of the device of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof taken generally at rightangles to FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a further elevational view of the device of FIG. 1 but takenat right angles to FIG. 2 and showing an end view of the device.

Like characters of reference denote like parts in the several figures ofthe drawing and the numeral 11 designates a ring-forming member whichcomprises a strip of resilient metal having overlapping terminalportions 11 and 12, the outer terminal portion 11 preferably having anoutwardly bent end 13 for manipulating purposes.

The outer terminal portion 11 is longitudinally slotted as at 15 and theinner terminal portion 12 is provided with a square or othernon-circular opening which receives a complementary square ornon-circular portion 16 of a screw 17.

A block 20 has an arcuately concave face 21 which seats against theouter surface of terminal portion 11 of The shank of screw 17 beyond thesquare or non-circular portion 16 passes freely through an opening inthe block 20 and threads into one end of an elongate handle member 23.

It is merely necessary to rotate handle member 23 in one direction toclamp the terminal portions 11 and 12 and block 21) between the head ofscrew 17 and the handle portion 23 and fix the ring-forming member in agiven position; that is, with a desired degree of overlap of theterminal portions 11 and 12 thereof. This establishes the diameter ofthe patty which the device will form.

When it is desired to alter the effective diameter of the ring-formingmember 11 handle 23 is loosened slightly whereupon the overlappingportion 11 may he slid arcuately and circumferentially along the inneroverlapping portion 12 and between the latter and block 20, by virtue ofthe slot 15, to enlarge or reduce the degree of overlap and thusinversely enlarge or reduce the effective diameter of the ring-formingmember.

In accomplishing this adjustment the user manipulates the end portion 13with one hand while holding the handle 23 in the other. As soon as adesired effective diameter of the ring-forming member 10 is attained asimple turning of the handle member 23 again locks the overlappingportions 11 and 12 against further relative intersliding movement.

If desired the outer surface of overlapping portion 11 of ring-formingmember 10 may be provided with graduations to indicate the approximatediametral dimension which the ring-forming member 10 assumes for variousdegrees of overlap, or the graduations may merely be marked small,medium and large, or with other suitable indicia.

I claim:

1. A device for forming food patties comp-rising a ring member and ahandle member, said ring member comprising a relatively thin flat stripof resilient material in generally arcuate form with its endsoverlapping to form a ring, one of said overlapping ends having anaperture and the other of said ends having a longitudinal slot, a screwdisposed with its head within said ring and its shank projectingradially outwardly through said aperture and said slot, said handlemember having internal threads for engagement with said screw shank toclamp the overlapping ends of said strip selectively in various relativeoverlapping positions to adjust the effective diameter of said ring.

2. A device for forming food patties comprising a ring member and ahandle member, said ring member comprising a relatively thin flat stripof resilient material in generally arcuate form with its endsoverlapping to form a ring, one of said overlapping ends having anon-circular aperture and the other of said ends having a longitudinalslot, a screw disposed with its head within said ring and its shankprojecting radially outwardly through said aperture and said slot, saidscrew having a non-circular portion beneath its head for engagement withsaid aperture whereby the screw is held against rotation, said handlemember having internal threads for engagement with said screw shank toclamp the overlapping ends of said strip in selectively various relativeoverlapping positions to adjust the efiective diameter of said ring.

3. A device for forming food patties comprising a ring member and ahandle member, said ring member comprising a relatively thin fiat stripof resilient material in generally arcuate form with its endsoverlapping to form a ring, one of said overlapping ends having anaperture and the other of said ends having a longitudinal slot, a spacerblock in registry with said aperture and having a concave face portionseating externally against the outer overlapping end of said ringmember, a screw disposed with its head within said ring and its shankprojecting radially outwardly through said aperture, said slot and saidspacer block, said handle member having internal threads for engagementwith said screw shank to clamp the overlapping ends of said stripselectively in various relative overlapping positions to adjust theeffective diameter of said ring.

4. A device for forming food patties comprising a ring member and ahandle member, said ring member comprising a relatively thin flat stripof resilient material in generally arcuate form with its endsoverlapping to form a ring, one of said overlapping ends having anon-circular aperture and the other of said ends having a longitudinalslot, a spacer block in registry with said aperture and having a concaveface portion seating externally against the outer overlapping end ofsaid ring member, a screw disposed with its head within said ring andits shank projecting radially outwardly through said aperture, said slotand said spacer block, said screw having a non circular portion beneathits head for engagement with said aperture whereby the screw is heldagainst rotation, said handle member having internal threads forengagement with said screw shank to clamp the overlapping 3 I 4 ends ofsaid strip selectively in various relative overlap- 1,110,882 BuschSept. 15, 1914 ping positions to adjust the effective diameter of saidring. 1,139,550 McCracken May 18, 1915 1,828,106 Ertola Oct. 20, 1931ReferencesCited in the file of this patent 2,325,841 Faber Aug. 3, 1943UNITED STATES PATENTS r 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 681,283 Waynick Aug. 27, 1901665,622 France Dec. 13, 1928

